Solved!

The Great Debate on Mowing Wet Grass

Water and electricity  don’t mix.

Using an electric lawn mower on wet grass—especially with an extension cord—runs the risk of electric shock.

Cutting grass in the rain  poses a personal danger.

If you wear glasses or safety goggles, cutting grass in the rain could cause the eyewear to become fogged up or coated in water, further diminishing your ability to see clearly.

Damp blades of grass can damage the mower.

Wet grass clippings can also interfere with the mower’s job by sticking to the equipment in clumps that block the vacuum or the blade itself.

It’s difficult to get an even cut when mowing wet grass.

Wet grass blades are slick and tough to slice, creating an uneven shred  (at best) rather than the clean-cut look you can achieve when mowing the lawn on a sunny afternoon.

Sharp mower blades will make the job easier, though.

If they are less than scalpel-sharp, you might need to make two or three passes over the same patch of wet lawn to get even a fraction of the cut you’d get if the lawn were dry.

Mowing a wet lawn is an easy way to spread fungal disease.

The wet grass clippings that stick to the underside of the mower deck can grow mold, which can be spread to your lawn the next time you mow.

Cutting wet grass can damage the base of your lawn.

The wheels (and even your shoes) can compact saturated soil or even cause ruts to form, damaging roots and hindering the growth of healthy grass in the future.

Mowing a wet lawn results  in extra cleanup.

You'll need to scrape the deck clean of those stuck-on blades of grass, brush off the tires, and wipe down the body of the mower.

If you must mow wet grass, use side-discharge mode.

Though this leaves rows of cut grass on your lawn for manual bagging later, it will save you the mess of dealing with a mower bag with a wet interior.

Set the lawn mower deck high for the most even cut.

Change your mower deck to one of the higher settings to cut blades to 3 or 4 inches long and no shorter.

More on

12 Tips for Those Who Want to Spend Less Time Mowing the Lawn

Get the Newsletter

Quackgrass vs. Crabgrass: Which Notorious Weed Is Invading Your Lawn?

Sign up to receive the best tips and tricks, the latest news and giveaways, and the most inspiring home improvement ideas from Bob Vila, America's Handyman since 1979.

Subscribe Now